It’s been nearly two months since George Floyd was killed. President Trump has had enough of all of this hubbub about racial justice.
When asked on Tuesday why African Americans are still dying at the hands of law enforcement in the United States, a problem that has, of course, persisted despite the wave of demonstrations that followed Floyd’s death, the president lashed out at Catherine Herridge, who was interviewing him at the White House for CBS Evening News.
“So are white people, so are white people,”
Trump said, his face red, his upper lip moist, his demeanour agitated.
“What a terrible question to ask. So are white people. More white people, by the way. More white people.”
unbelievable pic.twitter.com/MLbC0hS5k7
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 14, 2020
According to studies cited by CBS News, black men are 3-3.5 times more likely to be killed by law enforcement than white men. If “more” white men have been killed by law enforcement, it’s because they make up a substantially larger portion of the population.
Trump’s categorical dismissal of the idea that black Americans dying at the hands of police is a problem that needs addressing shouldn’t come as a surprise. The president has been letting his racist flag fly since Floyd’s death. In the past two months, Trump has posted on social media about how the “THUGS” protesting police brutality should be shot, lamented how cities have painted “BLACK LIVES MATTER” on prominent streets, bashed NASCAR for banning the Confederate flag at races, and refused to in any way acknowledge the systemic racism that has shaped the nation since its outset.
Herridge also asked Trump on Tuesday about his defence of the Confederate flag, to which the president cited freedom of speech. Herridge followed up by asking if understood “why the flag is a painful symbol for many people because it’s a reminder of slavery.” He clearly didn’t.
“Well, people love it,” the president said before again citing freedom of speech.
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